Fort Lyon tops list of Colorado's Most Endangered Places

Colorado Preservation Inc. announced Feb. 7 at the Saving Places Conference opening luncheon, held at the Colorado Convention Center, that five sites have been selected for Colorado's 2013 Most Endangered Places list, which includes Bent County's Fort Lyon facility.

Colorado Preservation Inc. announced Feb. 7 at the Saving Places Conference opening luncheon, held at the Colorado Convention Center, that five sites have been selected for Colorado's 2013 Most Endangered Places list, which includes Bent County's Fort Lyon facility.

"We have selected five diverse but very significant sites this year that need special help," said Rachel Parris, director of the Endangered Places Program. "Demolition, neglect, natural forces, land value fluctuation, and unsympathetic owners are the forces that typically threaten historic buildings and significantly increase the danger to the unique places that link us to Colorado's past. These are the special places that define our communities and form the foundation for our collective identity as Coloradans in the future. Colorado Preservation Inc. devotes staff time and resources to raise funds and rally concerned citizens so that listed sites can be saved."

Fort Lyon was one of 30 historic sites nominated for the 2013 list, and of the five selected, is undoubtedly the largest project. Additionally, the Cranmer Park / Sundial Plaza in Denver, Homesteading Sites of Escalante Canyon in Delta County, the Hotchkiss Barn in Delta County, and the Kennedy / Mancos Grain Elevator in Montezuma County topped the list of Colorado's Most Endangered Places.

Colorado's Most Endangered Places Program involves, to date, 96 historic resources across the state. The program has a wide reach, with sites located in 47 of Colorado's 64 counties. Of the 96 sites that have been named to the list since its inception in 1984, 32 have been designated as saved, 41 are in progress, 18 remain in alert, and five sites have been lost.

"Fort Lyon is a fantastic site," said Parris, who visited the facility one month ago. "It is a massive site and every single piece is integral. The history behind it is incredible and we are extremely excited to list the site and to get involved in any way possible. Fort Lyon plays an extremely important role to Bent County and to the state of Colorado both historically and economically. We will be vocal in preserving the facility's historical presence in addition to assisting with repurposing the site. We plan to work closely with the governor's office, county commissioners, and local parties in an effort to preserve the site and will assist with any grant writing efforts and use our connections in any way necessary."

Vacated most recently by the Colorado Department of Corrections due to a declining prison population, Fort Lyon raises interest due in part to both rich historical value and economic development. Located along the Santa Fe trail, Fort Lyon was completed by the United States Army in 1867.

Historically, Fort Lyon was notably used as the staging post used by Colonel John Chivington in 1864 as he led an attack by the Third Colorado Cavalry and other forces on friendly Cheyenne and Arapaho camps that became known as the Sand Creek Massacre. During the Army period at the fort (1868-1888), Fort Lyon was laid out in the tradition of a late nineteenth-century western military fort. During the Navy period (1907-1922), the fort was used as a tuberculosis treatment facility, then in the early VA period (1922-1956) as a tuberculosis treatment facility and later a residential care facility for veterans with neuro-psychiatric needs.

Page 2 of 2 - Most recently, Bent County commissioners, along with most other state officials, including governor John Hickenlooper, have pushed for the facility to be repurposed as a treatment facility for up to 200 homeless people who would receive job training and mental health and drug treatment. The governor's office has asked the Joint Budget Committee to approve funding to repurpose the facility.

A topic of discussion since its closure, Bent County commissioner Bill Long commented on the facility's designation as one of Colorado's most endangered places and echoed Bent County's longtime proposal to repurpose the facility, saying, "The Bent County Commissioners are very excited about the recognition of one of the most historically significant sites in Colorado. Colorado Preservation's designation of Fort Lyon as a most endangered place is timely and important as we continue the effort to repurpose the facility. Fort Lyon served the state of Colorado as a correctional facility for approximately 10 years, but its main purpose and mission for nearly 100 years was to serve our veterans. We, as well as others, believe the facility to be in excellent condition and capable of serving unmet needs for many years to come. Fort Lyon is truly an asset in many ways and the designation will help in pursuing our goal. We thank Colorado Preservation for their foresight and thoughtfulness when recognizing the value of Fort Lyon."

Alexa Roberts, Bent's Old Fort National Historic Site Superintendent and regional partner for the preservation of Fort Lyon, prepared historical information presented at the Saving Places Conference, where she touched on the historical value of several buildings on site and their relation to Bent's Old Fort and the history of Colorado. Additionally, Rick Wallner, Bent's Old Fort National Historic Site Chief of Interpretations and member of Canyons & Plains, a regional heritage task force, attended the meeting on behalf of Canyons & Plains, and along with Roberts, shed light on the importance of preserving the historical site.

"The purpose of Canyons and Plains is to preserve and promote our area's history," said Wallner. "Fort Lyon plays a huge role in Colorado's history."

Both Roberts and Wallner say they support the efforts of Bent County and state officials to repurpose the facility as a veterans care facility, saying the repurposing would be "a way to maintain the site."

"Most people have not had the opportunity to visit Fort Lyon and experience all that it has to offer," said Wallner. "Because it was a prison, and for obvious reasons, the area has had limited access in recent years. Depending on what it is used for, there is big potential for heritage tourism. It seems possible with the aim of parties involved now."

Key organizing elements of Fort Lyon are the central parade grounds, the gate road, northeast (cemetery) road, and the Arkansas River. Character-defining features of the historic district as a whole are the main entrance, parade grounds, officer's row, medical and administrative buildings, residential areas, utility area, wastewater treatment area, recreational facilities, west farm, road system, and agricultural and irrigation components.